Coos County authorities are investigating the death of a man whose body was eaten by hogs.

According to Paul Frasier, district attorney for Coos County, 70-year-old Terry Vance Garner died last week when his body was mostly consumed by hogs that he was apparently attempting to feed.

Frasier said that Garner was last seen by family members about 7:30 a.m. last Wednesday at his residence along Highway 42s near Riverton when he went outside to feed his hogs, some of which weighed 700 pounds or more.

A few hours later, a family member went to check on Garner. When he entered the hog enclosure, he found Garner's dentures on the ground. On further examination, the family member then found pieces of Garner's body, but most of the body was gone, apparently eaten by the animals.

The Coos County Sheriff's Office is now investigating "how Mr. Garner ended up in a position where the hogs were able to consume him."

Scenarios listed as possibilities by Frasier included a heart attack or that Garner was knocked down by the hogs and then killed. The Sheriff's Office is also investigating the possibility of foul play.

A forensic pathologist who examined Garner's remains was not able to determine cause of death and the remains will be further examined by a forensic anthropologist at the University of Oregon.

The Sheriff's Office is asking that anyone with information about the matter contact them at 541-396-7800.